Device for feeding stacks of books of the like to the cutting station of a machine



May 7, 1968 HElDORN 3,381,79

DEVICE FOR FEEDING STACKS OF BOOKS OR THE LIKE TO THE CUTTING STATION OF A MACHINE Filed June 9, 1965 3,381,794 Patented May 7, 1968 3,381,794 DEVICE FOR FEEDING STACKS OF BOOKS OR THE LIKE TO THE CUTTING STATION OF A MACHINE Giinther Heidorn, Hannover, Germany, assignor to Messrs. H. Wohlenberg Kommanditgesellschat't, Hannover, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed June 9, 1965, Ser. No. 462,703 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 4, 1964, W 33,365 8 Claims. (Cl. 198-21) The present invention concerns a device for feeding books, brochures, stacks of paper or the like to the cutting station of an automatic paper-cutting machine.

According to this invention such a device is characterised by the feature that it consists of a feed stop, a feed trolley, with a gripper device, and an engaging member. The device is actuated once for each revolution of a driving shaft of the automatic machine via a control mechanism in timed sequence of the machine.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with referenec to the accompanying drawing which shows a schematic front elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Stacks of books 1, 3 and 1, 4 arrive on a conveyor belt 2 from the right (see arrow) irregularly, i.e. neither in time with the cutting machine nor in synchronism with the feeding device. To cause the stack to be engaged by a gripping device 7 in timed sequence, a stop 3 is connected to a limit switch a.

The conveyor belt 2 conveys the stacks to the feed stop 3, which is adjustable to various sizes of stack. The conveyor belt 2 is driven by a rotating shaft 4 having a pulley (not shown) thereabout and a chain 5 which is connected between said pulley and a pulley 5a to rotate the latter. The speed of the conveyor belt 2 is so regulated relative to the working stroke of the machine that a stack of books 1, 4 is always disposed in front of the feed stop 3 ready for transfer to a cutting station of the machine.

If, however, more stacks of books are placed on the conveyor belt 2 than the machine can trim according to its working stroke, then the conveyor belt 2 slips beneath the stack of books.

Further conveyance from the feed stop 3 takes place by means of a feed trolley 6 on which are mounted the gripping device 7 and an engaging member 8. Gripping device 7 is comprised of support shaft 7a and spring biased gripping shoe 7b. When hereafter described ram 20 is raised against the underside of a stack to be cut, e.g., 1, 4, the gripping device shoe 7b has the stack pressed against it for securely holding the stack. The trolley 6 is guided in ball rails 9.

Movement of feed trolley 6 is efiected once for each revolution of shaft 4 by means of crank 10 which is secured to shaft 4. Crank 10 comprises links 10a, 10b and 100. A lever 11 is provided which is fixedly connected at its lower pivotal point 11a with the crank. Pivot 11a is fixed in bearing holder 11b and the lever 11 and link 10c, which are fixedly connected to each other, pivot about the fixedly positioned bearing 11a. Rotation of shaft 4 rotates crank 10 and pivots lever 11 back and forth, thereby reciprocating tie bar 12, which is connected to lever 11 at pivot 12a. Tie bar 12 is pivotally connected to trolley 6 at pivot 12b..

The gripping operation of the gripper device 7 is also effected once for each revolution of shaft 4 by means of cam disc 13, cam roller 14, lever 15, tie-rod 16, connecting rod 17, levers 18, rail 19 and a ram having a roller 21. Cam disc 13 has a long and a short radius segment. 'When, as shown in the figure, the long radius segment is in engagement with cam roller 14, this moves the roller to the right. Through pivot lever 0,, to which roller 14 is mounted, passes pin d, which is secured to lever 15, whereby lever 15 is pivoted clockwise about its pivot 15a by the movement to the right of roller 14. The clockwise movement of lever 15 is against the normal counterclockwise bias of the lever which is caused by spring 15b. Through tie-rod 16, connecting rod 17 is moved to the right. Rod 17 is pivotally connected at one end of levers 18. Levers 18 are connected at their pivots 18a to fixed supports. The other ends of levers 18 are connected to rail 19. As rod 17 moves to the right, levers 18 pivot counterclockwise and rail 19 moves upward, which presses the ram 29, which has a roller 21 in engage ment with rail 19, against the underside of the stack above the ram 20. This also lifts the stack above stop 3.

The crank links 10 are so positioned with respect to cam disc 13 on shaft 4 that trolley 6 is at its right most position when ram 20 is moved against the stack of books. Then with the ram 20 holding the books, the trolley transfers them to the left. When the trolley has moved as far to the left as it can, the small radius portion of disc 13 engages roller 14 moving same to the left, which allows lever 15 to pivot counterclockwise, moving rod 17 to the left, pivoting levers 18 clockwise and moving rail 19 and ram 20 down away from the stack above the ram.

Since shaft 4 is rotating continuously and since a stack, e.g., 1, 4, should not be engaged by ram 20 until it has been conveyed by belt 2 to its proper starting positioning, viz. with the stack at stop 3, transfer.

The engaging member 8 also rides on rail 19 and rises and descends as ram 20 does. When ram 20 is up and is cooperating in moving a stack, e.g., 1, 4, toward the cutting station, engaging member 8 is moving the preceding stack, e.g., 1, 5, toward the station. When ram 20 is down and rail 19 is down, engaging member 8 is also down and movement to the right of trolley 6 causes the 'engaging member to pass beneath the stack that has just been moved by ram 20 and gripper shoe 7b, so that the engaging member will be in position to push the just moved stack further toward the cutting station.

Transfer by the ram 20 takes place only when the limit switch a is depressed by a stack of books such as stack 1, 4. If there is no stack of books positioned on the stop 3 and hence the limit switch a has not been actuated, the lifting magnet b is energized shortly before the right end position of the feed trolley 6 via an overflow contact.

A cam roller 14 is mounted on the pivot lever c, the pivot d of which is mounted on lever 15. When the lifting magnet b has been energized, the operating bar e urges one end of the pivot lever c upwardly, i.e. the cam roller 14 swings down and away from the cam disc 13 and lever 15 is then supported against stop 1. Hence the stacks of books 1, 4 and 1, 5 are not progressively conveyed with the advance motion of the trolley 6, because the cam roller 14 is swung away from cam disc 13 and hence the rail 19, which actuates the ram 20 and the engaging member 8 in vertical movement, does not move upwardly but remains in its inoperative position. Hence an idle stroke takes place. Only with the next stroke, when a stack of books 1, 4 once more assumes a position in front of the stop 3 and the limit switch a is depressed, after the automatic cut-out of the lifting magnet b and the cam roller 14 pulled by the spring g snap back into the position as shown in the drawing. Hence the gripper device 7 and engaging member 8 operate again in order to take over in timed sequence the stack of books 1, 4 and 1, 5.

What I claim is:

1. In a device for feeding stacks of books or the like to a station where the stacks will be operated upon, said device comprising,

a conveyor means for conveying the stacks to a stop means;

a stop means fixedly mounted on said device for halting movement of the stacks being conveyed by said conveyor means; said stop means having an end past which said stacks are moved to proceed to the station;

an operating mechanism having a rotatable shaft;

the improvement comprising,

a ram for being moved into engagement with each stack when the stack is in engagement with said stop; said ram moving the stack past said end of said stop means; a gripper device in opposed relationship to said ram, whereby movement of said ram toward said gripper device traps and secures the stackv therebetween;

a cam device connected with said ram for alternately holding same in a first position where said ram is in engagement with a stack and in a second position where said ram is disengaged from any stack; said cam device being connected to said shaft of said operating mechanism;

a feed trolley connected with said ram and with said gripper device for moving both in a first direction to move the stack engaged by said ram and said gripper device toward the station, and in a recovery direction opposite said first direction;

and a timing mechanism for coordinating the movement of said cam device and said trolley, whereby said ram is moved into engagement with a stack when said trolley is moving in said first direction and said ram is moved out of engagement with any stack when said trolley is moving in said recovery direction.

2. In the device of claim 1, the improvement further comprising,

an engaging member connected with said cam device for being moved thereby between a third and a fourth position; in said third position, which occurs when said ram is in said first position, said engaging member is in position and of such shape as to push the stack previously moved by said ram and said gripper device; in said forth position, which occurs when said ram is in said second position, said engaging member is in position and of such shape as to pass the stacks without contacting same;

said engaging member being connected to said trolley to be moved similarly to said ram in said first and recovery directions.

3. In the device of claim 1, the improvement further comprising,

said timing mechanism comprising said rotatable shaft,

said cam device thereto secured, and a crank mechanism connected to said trolley and to said shaft; said crank mechanism being so connected to said trolley as to cause same to alternately move in said first and said recovery directions.

4. In the device of claim 3, the improvement further comprising,

a rail; said ram being positioned on said rail; said rail extending in a direction parallel to the first direction, whereby movement of said trolley moves said ram along said rail;

said cam device being linked to said rail for moving said rail toward and away from the stack to thereby move said ram toward and away therefrom. 5. In the device of claim 4, the improvement further 5 comprising,

a disengaging device connected with said cam device for normally disengaging said cam device from said rail;

a limit switch connected to said disengaging device and positioned adjacent said stop means and in the path of movement of stacks being moved by said conveyor means; said limit switch operating said disengaging device to permit said cam device to be connected with said rail, whereby said ram is prevented from pressing against a stack until the stack is adjacent said stop means.

6. In the device of claim 4, the improvement further comprising,

an engaging member positioned on said rail for being moved thereby between a third and a fourth position; in said third position which occurs when said ram is in said first position, said engaging member is in position and of such shape as to push the stack previously moved by said ram and said gripper device; in said fourth position, which occurs when said ram is in said second position, said engaging member is in position and of such shape as to pass the stacks without contacting same;

said engaging member being connected to said trolley to be moved similarly to said ram in said first and recovery directions.

7. In the device of claim 6, the improvement further comprising,

a disengaging device connected with said cam device for normally disengaging said cam device from said rail;

a limit switch connected to said disengaging device and positioned adjacent said stop means and in the path of movement of stacks being moved by said conveyor means; said limit switch operating said disengaging device to permit said cam device to be connected with said rail, whereby said ram is prevented from pressing against a stack until the stack is adjacent said stop means.

8. In the device of claim 7, the improvement further comprising,

said crank mechanism being connected to said trolley by a lever; said lever having a first end pivotally secured at a fixed location and a second end connected to said trolley; said crank being connected to pivot 00 said lever to move said trolley.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 55 2,371,926 3/1945 Schmitt 19834 EDWARD A. SROKA, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR FEEDING STACKS OF BOOKS OR THE LIKE TO A STATION WHERE THE STACKS WILL BE OPERATED UPON, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING, A CONVEYOR MEANS FOR CONVEYING THE STACKS TO A STOP MEANS; A STOP MEANS FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID DEVICE FOR HALTING MOVEMENT OF THE STACKS BEING CONVEYED BY SAID CONVEYOR MEANS; SAID STOP MEANS HAVING AN END PAST WHICH SAID STACKS ARE MOVED TO PROCEED TO THE STATION; AN OPERATING MECHANISM HAVING A ROTATABLE SHAFT; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, A RAM FOR BEING MOVED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH STACK WHEN THE STACK IS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STOP; SAID RAM MOVING THE STACK PAST SAID END OF SAID STOP MEANS; A GRIPPER DEVICE IN OPPOSED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID RAM, WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID RAM TOWARD SAID GRIPPER DEVICE TRAPS AND SECURES THE STACK THEREBETWEEN; A CAM DEVICE CONNECTED WITH SAID RAM FOR ALTERNATELY HOLDING SAME IN A FIRST POSITION WHERE SAID RAM IS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH A STACK AND IN A SECOND POSITION WHERE SAID RAM IS DISENGAGED FROM ANY STACK; SAID CAM DEVICE BEING CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT OF SAID OPERATING MECHANISM; A FEED TROLLEY CONNECTED WITH SAID RAM AND WITH SAID GRIPPER DEVICE FOR MOVING BOTH IN A FIRST DIRECTION TO MOVE THE STACK ENGAGED BY SAID RAM AND SAID GRIPPER DEVICE TOWARD THE STATION, AND IN A RECOVERY DIRECTION OPPOSITE SAID FIRST DIRECTION; AND A TIMING MECHANISM FOR COORDINATING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID CAM DEVICE AND SAID TROLLEY, WHEREBY SAID RAM IS MOVED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH A STACK WHEN SAID TROLLEY IS MOVING IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION AND SAID RAM IS MOVED OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH ANY STACK WHEN SAID TROLLEY IS MOVING IN SAID RECOVERY DIRECTION. 